The Importance of Being a Cartoonist

This afternoon, Michael Kupperman, the man Conan O'Brien calls "one of the best comedy brains on the planet," came in for his close-up with Big Think. Despite freezing weather in New York, the Brooklyn-based cartoon artist and author of two books—"Snake'N'Bacon's Cartoon Cabaret" and his just published "Tales Designed to Thrizzle"—crossed the East River to speak with us about where he finds comic inspiration: namely, the absurd.

Along with explaining the importance of cartooning—"It's the sister art to film"—Kupperman also told a few hilarious stories from his own life. One involved a past employer that had inspired a cartoon character of his own. When his muse (Bossman on paper) discovered his work, young Kupperman was quickly confronted and axed. Stay tuned for more.

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